


Unexpected Softness

by Nulara



Category: Sex Education (TV)
Genre: Awkward Romance, Boys In Love, Boys Kissing, Canon Gay Relationship, Chivalry, Cute, Dorks in Love, Feelings Realization, First Kiss, Idiots in Love, M/M, Romance, Romantic Fluff, Sex Education, Sexual Tension, Understanding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22618900
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nulara/pseuds/Nulara
Summary: Eric in the aftermath of having been beaten up on his way back from the Hedwig gig is softly taken care of by the one person he would never have expected.Awkward Chivalry and sexual tension.
Relationships: Eric Effiong/Adam Groff
Comments: 11
Kudos: 162





	Unexpected Softness

Unexpected Softness

Eric walked on in the vague direction of his home village without thinking much of where he was heading. He couldn't let himself think beyond each step he took.

'Just this next step. Then the next. Then the one after that.'

Zeroing his focus in on the toes of his crimson-red go-go boots, his body projected him forward upon an instinct, some inherent sense of self protection and survival. His excitement for his 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' birthday plans, the bitter disappointment and anger towards Otis, the frenzied panic over his stolen jacket (along with his phone and wallet), all seemed like it was a week ago. Not the so precious few hours that it had truly been. The feelings he had felt such a short time ago now seemed juvenile and insignificant compared to the turmoil roiling around in his body at this current moment.

But he didn't dare let himself dwell on them. If he did, he would stop walking, stop careening towards some semblance of safety. His fragile state would break, crumble and disintegrate under the weight of his own trauma. He couldn't deal with that right now. Maybe he would deal with it when he got to a safe place, a safe person.

So, Eric kept walking, stumbling towards the hazy light polluted patch of sky which sloped down to meet the peacefully slumbering village below. To where he knew familiar faces resided and where the comforting mundanity of his, now acutely, small world lay.

A small sense of relief bubbled up in his chest as his wide tear-stained eyes met with the bus stop where this dreadful night had begun its savage tirade on him. The relief soon disappeared however when he realised that he couldn't just 'go home', not yet, not like this. He couldn't face his family, especially not his father. They would scream and shout in horror once they saw his face. His mother would probably cry and shout out to the Lord Jesus why someone would do this to him, as would his sisters. His father would give him a sad and disappointed look that said, "Son, I told you so, you are never going out dressed like this again". They would all make the whole situation so much worse.

But who could blame them for reacting like that? They loved him dearly, and he knew how lucky he was for that. But right now, his frayed nerves were not prepared for all that drama.

He truly was a mess. His face stung sharply from where he had been struck so hatefully by a man whom he didn't even know, had never done any wrong to, had never even seen before in his life. There was sticky hot blood still blooming on his cheek where his beautifully smooth skin had burst from the sheer impact of the blow he had been dealt. He was cradling his body with his own arms, as if trying to physically hold himself together. It was like his emotions were liquid within a delicate cracking china vase that was starting to leak out and the vase would break completely if he dared to loosen his grip. He was visibly shaking, but he couldn't tell if he was just cold, or in shock, or both. His breathes were shallow and hitched with silent tears that just wouldn't stop flowing. Streaking his face, diluting his mascara, and mingling it with blood.

What would he do now? He had no phone on which to call anyone, no place to go without causing immediate panic and disruption upon his arrival. There were no other means of transport until the early hours of the next morning. Mass hysteria would ensue from the Effiong household as soon as they realised, he still wasn't back. What the hell was he going to do?

He was gradually approaching the bus stop as his thoughts looped in dizzying circles in his head; So fast that a dull, hot, ache built up behind his eyes and his vision started to blur. No, wait… that was just more tears falling again. Would they ever stop?

He vaguely noticed the outline of a person sitting at the bus stop, clouds of translucent smoke emanating from behind the glowing ring of a cigarette. When he realised the person waiting there was a tall, muscular, man his whole body tensed immediately, and he slowed his pace. What if they meant him harm too? There was no way he could defend himself from a guy that big. Also, there weren't any more buses tonight, so why would someone be waiting there for no good reason? He couldn't handle it if something else bad happened tonight. He was barely holding on as it was. However, he reasoned that this person might have a phone on them. If they were nice enough to let him use it he could call someone, maybe Jean, to come and pick him up. He was going to have to walk past this man to get home anyway wasn't he? Despite his terror he was just going to have to risk it.

Eric walked with renewed purpose towards the bus stop. The man sitting there must have heard Eric's footsteps, as his head snapped in Eric's direction and let out a final puff of smoke almost as an afterthought. Eric was simultaneously filled with staggering relief and absolute dread at the familiar face he saw staring back at him under the half-light of the moon.

Adam was sitting under the comforting shelter of the bus stop looking out at the only part of the night sky he could see where the stars were just visible in this shitty, over-lit, village. He sometimes snuck out of the house to sit and smoke here at night, away from his father, away from everyone. It was the only place he felt he could be peaceful, to be himself, without needing the aggressive bravado protecting him from the outside world.

As he dragged on the last of his cigarette, he heard staggering footsteps approaching him. His head whipped sharply to the origin of the sound. It was so unusual for anyone to be here at this time of night other than himself that it startled him. In a wild burst of panic, he was frightened that it was his father come to screech at him and drag him back home by the scruff of his neck. But then he realised that this person was coming from the outside the village not from it. Perhaps it was Mr. Hendricks out drinking again. If that was the case at least he knew if he was caught Mr. Hendricks would be cool about it. He was the only teacher Adam actually, sort-of, liked. The only one who didn't constantly berate him. The only one who tried to treat him like every other student. By any rate he wouldn't want Adam to be spreading word at school tomorrow about their late-night encounter and his drunken stupor. He would keep quiet if Adam did.

The mystery person finally approached and when he realised who it was Adam unclenched his fists and tight abdominal muscles immediately; Eric. He breathed out his cigarette smoke in a slow plume, his stomach did that fizzing, swoopy thing it always did when Eric was close by.

"F**k, he looks hot in that outfit" he thought as he noticed the tight denim shorts clinging to smooth gorgeous brown legs, and the sleeveless bejewelled Denim jacket exposing well-toned bicep muscles, that were larger than Adam had expected having never seen them from underneath Eric's loud patterned shirts….and those high heeled red boots, 'F**k', Adam felt his mouth water and nearly moaned out a little in pleasure upon seeing him in those things.

Adam hid the small smitten grin on his face as he stood up from his seat, ground his cigarette butt into the dirt with the toe of his converse shoe, and began to swagger towards Eric. Bravado rising in his breast.

"What you doin' out here this late Tromb…?" But he never finished asking his question. Because when Eric came into the light and he got a chance to see him clearly, he stopped dead in his tracks and his mind ground to a screeching halt. What he saw made his heart break into a thousand tiny pieces and his anger burn in the back of his throat like bile.

Eric flinched as Adam boisterously approached. Eric looked up at him with his doe-like, frightened, eyes and beat-up face. He heard Adam's sharp intake of breath, a sudden skidding of shoes across gritted dirt, and all of a sudden Adam was placing impossibly gentle hands on his face so tenderly and reverently that it made Eric's heart twinge oddly.

Adam's face was so full of hurt shock and heartfelt concern, it was like a mask had dropped from him only to reveal this completely different soul underneath. This was so at odds from the harsh and cold person Eric thought he knew that it made him forget everything that had happened to him for a moment.

Adam's voice came out in a stunned whisper, "Eric…What the hell happened to you? Who did this to you?" He searched Eric's terror filled eyes frantically with his own for an answer.

Eric tried and failed to make a sound, he opened his mouth and tried again but the words wouldn't make their way out, he was choking on them, strangled by them. Then everything came flooding back to him; all the hurt, confusion, fear, the ugly unjustness of it all crashed over him. Before he realised what he was doing, Eric gripped Adam tightly around his slender but solid waist, his hands resting on the muscular plane of his back, and held onto him like a lifeline. Sobs wracked his smaller frame and he leaned his tender head on Adam's broad chest, warmth blossoming from his pale skin. Adam's breathes and steady, if not slightly faster than average, heartbeat centring him as his world came crashing down around him.

Adam seized to function when Eric suddenly flung his arms around his waist and held onto him with a vice-grip, surprising him. It wasn't physically uncomfortable, but his lungs started to feel like he couldn't get much air in, and it had nothing to do with how tight Eric was gripping him. As soon as Eric's head rested ever so gently on his chest, just above his heart, he knew this was bad. Seriously bad.

Not bad just because he was terrified that Eric might hear his heart beating so much faster as a result of his sudden touch and proximity. No. Bad because whatever had happened to Eric was so awful it was making him hold onto the very first familiar person he had seen for comfort, and that person was his school bully no less.

He was at a complete loss of what to do or say. His anger roared in his chest at the thought of some asshole hurting Eric like this. To see the physical damage on his beautiful face, to see Eric's light literally beaten out of him made Adam feel sick with rage.

He felt the heavy guilt, of having threatened Eric at school and seeing some of his light dim from his soul when he bullied him, weight on him. But he knew, although it didn't excuse his behaviour one iota, that for all his threats he would never truly hurt Eric. He could never lay a finger on him that he knew would actually hurt him. He wasn't a monster, and he simply couldn't do that Eric. He wasn't at all proud of hurting anyone else either, come to think of it, physically or otherwise.

Adam did all he could think of to do. He let go of his bravado and his pride and slowly wrapped supportive arms around Eric's shoulders holding him back just as tight. A gentle hand coming up to cradle the back of Eric's cranium as Adam's cheek rested atop his head.

'F**king hell', it felt incredible to hold Eric like this. Eric fit so damn perfectly into his arms and against the contours of his hard body, like he was meant to be there. He felt a calm wash over him that he had never experienced before. It seemed to seep from Adam through to Eric as he felt him relax a little underneath his arms. Eric's breathe became more even as time dragged on, the heart-breaking cries and the shivering of his body gradually subsiding until they were just standing there, holding one another in their own peaceful bubble, sheltered from the rest of the world.

Adam's strong torso felt so good to hold onto and Eric felt strangely secure in Adam's arms; protected even. Feelings he had never in a million years thought he would feel around Adam Groff of all people. But he was familiar, and he had looked genuinely worried about Eric for the first time ever. In this moment this person was not Adam Groff, the bully. This was Adam Groff, the gentle protector. Very few had seen this rare and beautifully sweet centre to Adam before, and Eric was the 3rd in a very short line to discover it. (The first two being Adam's mother Maureen, and his ex-girlfriend Aimee). It made Eric ache pleasantly inside to realise that maybe this was the real Adam.

He felt himself calm down enough to be able to speak.

"I..I was meant to meet Otis in town for my birthday, but he m-missed the bus and then later cancelled on me. Then…I h-had my jacket stolen. My wallet and phone were in it…. I tried walking home and these men saw me, realised I was a boy in this costume, and they…they beat me up and spat on me when I fell to the ground. They called me 'Fag'."

Eric started crying again, but this time with an edge of relief for having told someone what had happened to him. He felt Adam tense against him and the rumble of a quiet but angry growl vibrated from his chest against Eric's cheek, but Adam still didn't let go. It confused Eric even more. Why did Adam care? Isn't this what he thought of Eric too? He had called him similar things, used similar homophobic slurs against him. But Adam had never raised a hand to Eric, sure he had been jostled by him now and again, but he had never hurt him. Ever.

Still, Eric needed to know why Adam was being like this. He reluctantly lowered his arms from Adam's waist, oddly regretting the loss of his body heat and contact. Adam followed suit and removed his own arms from around Eric equally unwillingly. They both stood awkwardly for a moment, Eric clutching his own arms again, Adam not knowing quite what to do with his.

"I don't understand why you are being like this. You hate me. You call me things like that all the time." Eric challenged Adam for the first time ever. He could feel a new energy in air between them. This was not a normal situation; he somehow knew Adam wouldn't bristle against him like he usually would. It was like there was an unspoken truce between them.

To Eric's further bewilderment, Adam actually had the decency to look a little sheepish and guilty as rubbed the back of his neck with his hand and replied.

"Yeah. Well…. For all the shit I say to you…. I would never… I mean I could never actually hurt you…definitely not like that… F**king B**tards. And for the record I… I don't hate you. Plus, you've had a shit birthday, and I'm not about to make it worse. I'm not a complete monster y'know."

Adam briefly locked eyes with Eric and just as quickly looked away before Eric could guess at what he was feeling. But Eric had glimpsed enough to see his nervousness, the warmth, and sincerity in his soft brown eyes.

"OK." Was all Eric could think of to say.

Another awkward silence stretched out between them until Adam looked at Eric's busted cheek again and felt a sharp pang of sympathy twist his gut. An unfamiliar feeling to Adam. But he didn't dare examine that too closely for what it could mean.

"We should get that cleaned up. Come on, I know a place that's open late. We can get some stuff there that'll help."

Adam gestured with his head for Eric to follow him, shoved his hands deep into his pockets and started moving back in the direction of the village, moving slower than his usual pace to ensure Eric could keep up with him. Eric, without too much thought to the utter bizarreness of the situation, followed, teetering along side by side with Adam as best he could in his high-heeled boots that he had already walked for far too long in.

They reached a small late-night off-license shop with a little 5 bay car park at the front and a low brick wall that lined the pathway to the front door. Adam indicated for Eric to sit down on the wall while he went into the shop, assuring him he'd be back in a few minutes.

As Eric waited for Adam to return, he finally let himself think on how truly weird this was. Adam Groff, all soft touches and gentle concerned looks, acting like his knight in shining armour. He laughed a little despite himself thinking this must be some weird fevered dream; he must have been knocked unconscious or at least had some brain damage from his beating or something. This just…wasn't the Adam he knew. But then what did he really, truly know about Adam, about his life.

Yes, of course he knew the headmaster was his dad, and he seemed like the strict and stern type. But what was his home life really like with Headmaster Groff? Was his dad really that lacking of feeling? Did Adam have to follow as many strict rules at home than at school? Is that why Adam acted out the way he did? Was is all just some way of coping, of protecting himself? Not that it made his behaviour acceptable at all. But it gave Eric pause to think that Adam was a far more complicated and layered person than he ever thought before.

Eric was abruptly disturbed from his thoughts by Adam swinging the door of the shop open again, his hands full with a box of plasters, a bottle of water, cotton wool pads, and some anti-septic cream. Adam laughed a little at the sight of Eric jumping out of his skin; but he did feel a little bad about it.

"You're like a deer caught in the headlights." He remarked as he put his purchases on the floor in front of Eric's feet.

Eric spoke quietly, but steadily, "Well, it's been a weird night, and I've never been beaten up before, So… Yeah. I guess I'm a little on edge." Eric clutched his arms around his body again and shivered in the late night chill. His shock had worn off a little, but he still felt vulnerable.

Adam noticed Eric's discomfort and did the most disgustingly chivalrous thing he'd ever done in his life. If it was anyone else, and if anyone else was around to see it, he wouldn't have dared. But this was Eric, and he was cold and scared. So again, pride and bravado be dammed, Adam shrugged off his well-worn leather coat with the fleece lining and wrapped it carefully around Eric's bare shoulders.

"Put that on, or your gonna freeze to death before the night's out." He stated gruffly, trying to make it sound like it wasn't in any way a big deal for him to do that. Not allowing himself to look Eric in the eyes.

Eric froze and just stared at him with a small surprised, yet slightly charmed, smile tugging at the corner of his full mouth. He didn't say anything to that. He didn't know what he would say even if he wanted to. He simply put his arms through the kindly offered jacket that was at least two sizes too big for him, feeling the warmth that had seeped into it from Adam's body sink deliciously into his own skin. It was almost like having Adam holding him again, and it smelled so masculine. Of heady sandalwood and old spice, of cigarettes and fresh grass like he'd been lazing on the school grounds smoking as the world went by around him, and finally of something that was just so Adam he just couldn't describe it. It was oddly comforting considering their day to day encounters. Eric nodded his thanks and acceptance of the coat, and Adam seemed to understand.

Adam then got to work on cleaning up the cut on Eric's cheek. With gentle touches he dabbed away the blood with the water and cotton wool pads, ensuring to keep tabs on Eric's facial reactions so that he knew he wasn't hurting him.

Eric barely breathed as he let Adam touch his face and care for him like this. He felt that unfamiliar ache in his heart as he marvelled at Adam's uncharacteristic sweetness and softness of touch. He wished Adam had shown this side of himself before, instead of what he usually saw of him. It was like they were two different people and he was finding it very hard to put them as one in his head. To remember that this boy, this sweet, painfully handsome, gentle boy, was his bully.

Once Adam was satisfied that the cut was as clean as he was going to get it, he unscrewed the cap off the antiseptic cream, took a small amount onto his fourth finger, and rubbed the cream into the cut with featherlight strokes. They made eye contact then, and Adam's hand stopped its ministrations, swallowing hard under Eric's intense gaze as he realised how close their noses were to touching. In his concentration on the small wound Adam had moved far closer to Eric than he had ever planned to. A breath caught in his throat as he saw Eric, seemingly a little breathless slowly move his face forward by half a centimetre, lips getting ever so slightly closer to Adam's. They stayed there for four whole heart beats, searching each other eyes, for what they weren't quite sure.

Adam's heart constricted and couldn't bare Eric looking at him like that and being so close to him anymore. Adam cleared his throat roughly and looked sharply away. He fixed his focus on the box of plasters and ripped into them with more force than was necessary. He pulled out a plaster that was appropriate for the size of cut, removed the backing and timidly placed it over the cut, onto Eric's smooth skin. Adam's thumb grazed over Eric's soft cheek under the pretence of smoothing out the plaster on his face. He wouldn't even admit to himself how badly he just always wanted to touch Eric's beautiful skin. Luckily Eric didn't seem to notice, he didn't say anything even if he did.

They briefly made eye contact again but looked away from each other as soon as it happened. It was too much for either of them.

Adam rolled his shoulders back and used an authoritative tone he'd heard his dad use, though not in a harsh way as his dad would have been, "Come on. Better get you home. Also, my Dad will have my head if he realises, I'm out after curfew. Doesn't matter what the reason was for it."

Eric blanched a little at Adam's words and thought back to his earlier musings; Was Mr. Groff really that awful? He decided he could well believe it. But he stored that in his brain to think on at another time, Adam was right, they both needed to get home. He stood up and caught his reflection in the glass of the shop window. At least he didn't look quite as bad as before and his nerves had been soothed somewhat. Adam had even cleaned up some of the run makeup on his cheeks, another surprisingly kind gesture he didn't expect from most guys, especially not from Adam. He felt his heart flutter a little at the realisation of such a caring thought to have even crossed Adam's mind, and to have acted upon it too.

His shook his head to clear his mind and started to head after Adam, who had started to walk away in the direction of the cul-de-sac where he knew that Eric's house was in. But Eric's feet had other plans as suddenly Eric gasped in pain as he took a step. His feet protested that he couldn't walk any further in these shoes. It appeared that the shock had worn off enough for feeling to come back to his body, and subsequently the pain from all the walking in his ridiculously high heeled boots had made its presence known, aggressively.

Adam spun around at the sound of Eric's pained outburst, that damned adorable concern etched into his handsome features again.

"What's wrong?" Adam called out, worried something he'd done to Eric's cut had been damaging instead of helpful.

But when he realised that Eric was struggling to walk Adam strode over to Eric, and without thinking took his elbow in one hand and Eric's smaller hand in the other to steady him. He helped Eric lower himself back down onto the low wall. The contact of their hands, of skin against skin, made him flush with pleasure and made him lose his ability to speak, as he realised what he'd just done. Thankfully, he didn't need to speak right that second.

"It's these stupid shoes!" Eric lamented in frustration, too concerned with the pain in his feet to realise that they had just held hands briefly. "I hadn't exactly planned to walk as far as I did in them, and now my feet feel like they've got knives in the arches. I probably have blisters too!" He whined. Which Adam found not only incredibly amusing but also found strangely and extremely cute. He had to bite down hard on his lower lip to stop himself from grinning like a lovestruck idiot.

He released a huff of mirth through his nose and rolled his eyes at Eric for insisting on wearing such uncomfortable footwear when he decided to go out on the town or to a party. (Not that he'd noticed much… of course he hadn't!) He couldn't say he hated the way he looked in them though, not at all. In fact, it was rather distracting, and made him a little hot under the collar even when he just thought about it. (Which wasn't often! Really!)

"Well, what are we gonna do now then? You can't walk." Adam asked, still with amusement in his voice.

"I don't know, sorry," Eric pinched the bridge of his nose in exasperation and pain.

Adam make the decision to do the second most disgustingly chivalrous thing ever in his life. Nearly choking on his pride this time as he swallowed it down.

"Take those bloody shoes off, Tromboner", Eric did as he was bid, slightly confused and concerned as to where this was going. Adam tried very hard and failed not to watch in awe as Eric unzipped his boots and reveal his smooth and well-toned legs underneath. He felt his mouth watering again. It was such a simple thing, but it was easily one of the most erotic things Adam had ever witnessed. He cleared his throat, gulped hard, grabbed both boots in one hand roughly and turned around before Eric could notice his member twitching against the fabric of his jeans.

What he was about to suggest was also not going to help his situation, but they had to get home sometime and the earlier the better.

"Right, climb on then. We haven't got all night." He stated briskly gesturing to his back with a jab of his thumb.

Eric didn't move. Couldn't move. Was he seriously suggesting what he thought he was suggesting? Was Adam Groff actually asking him to climb up onto his back, so that he could carry him home, because his feet hurt too much?

It was such an intimate gesture. Almost like something a boyfriend would do for his significant other after they had gone out for the night and his love was struggling, so the only thing to do was to carry his angel back home safe and sound. It disarmed Eric completely. Who was this man? What had happened to the Adam he had grown accustomed to? He could get used to this Adam.

"Okay, who are you, and what have you done to the real Adam Groff?" Laughed Eric, more out of awkwardness than genuine humour. "Are you seriously suggesting that you are going to carry me home on your back?" He asked incredulously.

Adam blushed bright red and didn't dare look back at Eric, "Shut it, Tromboner…Some people wanna get home before the sun comes up. It's the logical solution…. I swear if you tell anyone about this I.."

"You'll kill me? Yeah I know."

Adam could feel Eric rolling his eyes at him, and it made him smirk.

"Don't worry about it. It's our little secret Groff, I won't tell anyone about what a genuine sweetheart you are underneath that tough guy exterior."

Eric had come up much closer behind him than Adam had realised and whispered the latter into his ear. It made him shudder in delight, nearly knocking him of balance. He hoped to God that Eric hadn't noticed that.

"Piss off….Don't let the power get to your big head…Now get on already." Adam spoke softer than he had intended to, and Eric noticed.

Just like he noticed Adam's spine shudder when he whispered into his ear, just liked he noticed their connection earlier; Adam's gaze zeroing in on his lips for quite some time. He smiled to himself and knew that he was definitely going to let his newfound power over Adam get to his head. It was a heady feeling having the seemingly toughest and most emotionally unattainable guy in school go a little weak at the knees for you, visibly get nervous around you like a green-boy with a crush, and practically treat you like a Queen despite the inconvenience to himself.

Eric nervously put his mildly shaking hands onto Adam's buff shoulders for support, feeling Adam tense a little under his touch, making his muscles ripple a little. Eric's mouth went dry at that.

'Jeez this guy was attractive when he wasn't being the bully,' He thought as he took a deep breath and hoisted himself up onto Adam's back.

Adam's strong hands naturally came up behind him to support Eric underneath his thighs, and Eric's arms loosely circled Adam's solid neck. Both of them stayed very, very, still for a moment easing their breathing at the sudden contact of all that skin. This was a little too much for either of them to handle. Adam's hand placement distracting both of them for different reasons.

Adam's mind was forced into overload fantasizing about how those tiny shorts probably would have rode up Eric's legs, inching closer to his backside. He had felt as much where his hands were right now.

'F**k. Think unsexy thoughts!' Adam thought desperately, and somewhat in vain. This was his genius idea, he'd have to live with the repercussions of it, no matter how strained he was in certain areas of his body right now. Thank God Eric couldn't see from his vantage point behind him…. Thank God it was only a semi.

Adam made himself start moving despite his emotional and physical discomfort. Eric wasn't heavy, and it felt actually kind of nice to have his torso pressed against his back, his thighs partially wrapped around his waist, his arms gently holding him around his neck, his soft warm breath against his left ear. Despite the obvious unhelpful thoughts and feelings that this stirred in Adam, it felt comforting and caused his stomach to do that fizzy-swoopy thing Eric somehow always made him feel.

It was affecting Eric in a very similar way. After he got himself under control after feeling Adam's hands where they were on his thighs, and his warm back pressed against him in all the best ways, he felt that secure and safe feeling again. Like he was being taken care of, which really, he was… by Adam, which he still couldn't get his head around. He was in awe of Adam tonight.

Adam had spent the rest of this awful night holding Eric when he cried, making sure he was ok, tending to his cut, giving him his jacket when he was cold, locking eyes with him in the most romantic way, getting flustered in the most adorable way, and now carrying him home like he was a knight carrying his fair maiden to safety.

Not that he subscribed to the misogynistic connotations that could hold. But it was nice to feel like someone was taking care of you when you'd been though a seriously bad experience.

After what seemed like an age of sexual tension, they finally reached Eric's house. Adam gently bent his knees to let Eric slide down off his back. Eric took his shoes back from Adam and smiled gently at him as their eyes met like moths to a flame.

Eric could have sworn he saw Adam's lips curve into the slightest hint of a boyish smile, and it made his heart melt a little more for him.

"Well. Thank you, Adam… For everything tonight. It meant a lot." Eric felt awkward saying it but knew he needed to.

Adam looked equally as awkward, his cheeks and the tips of his ears flushing a little pink.

"Urm.. Y'welcome. Don't worry about it… and don't mention it," He stressed the last part and Eric laughed softly at that. Adam gave him a larger grin then, his blush deepening.

They both stood in silence, sparing quick and nervous glances at each other. Until Eric couldn't take it anymore. Before Eric lost his nerve he quickly rocked up onto his toes and had planned to kiss Adam's slightly stubbled cheek when he wasn't looking. But Adam moved his head back at that moment to look down at Eric…and all of a sudden, their lips were touching, and they both stopped breathing.

It was barely a kiss, a closed, lips pressing on lips. More like a touch than a kiss. But the effect it had was astronomical. They both pulled away abruptly liked they'd been burned, eyes shocked, mouths slightly agape. A heartbeat, two heartbeats. Then like waves crashing they came together once more, gripping desperately onto each other. Mouths, tongues, teeth, exploring one another with so much heat burning inside their veins. Adam pulled Eric as close as he could to his body as humanly possible, his hands tugging at his waist. Eric's arms wrapped around Adam's neck his nails dragging across his scalp, his fingers running through Adam's thick hair gripping it, tugging at it a little, making Adam moan into his mouth at the sensations.

Adam hooked his hands under Eric's thighs and lifted him up to get him even closer, to press their bodies flush together. His body was surging with foreign emotions, he'd never felt so much heat and passion before. He'd never had his body react to someone so intensely and easily before. Not with Aimee, not with anyone. His brain certainly didn't get in the way this time. It was all so new, but so…Right.

Eric was similarly affected. He'd never had such a thrill at being this intimate with someone. That brief fling during the summer completely paled in comparison to this amount of feeling, this intensity. It was truly the best he'd ever had. Not that he had a lot of other experiences. But it was like this was how attraction and intimacy were supposed to feel. All beautiful, intense, terrifying and amazing all at once.

They finally broke apart for air, breathing heavily, lips tingling, foreheads resting gently together. They looked into each other's eyes and couldn't help but laugh from the giddiness they both felt, and the craziness of what had just happened.

Adam gently put Eric back down on the ground, both feeling lighter than air. Their arms still entwined around one another as if one of them were to let go, they would float away on their mutual high.

Eric broke the ice with, "Right…so, that happened" Sounding far more confident than he felt.

Adam, still at a loss for words, barely strung a coherent response together, "Uh, yeah….ahem, yeah it did." He looked away from Eric's gaze, feeling overwhelmed.

"Sooo… Do we talk about this?" Eric offered tentatively, slowly retracting his arms back from around Adam's neck to rest his hands on Adam's large biceps that were still wrapped around him.

"Umm…I dunno… Maybe?... Maybe, tomorrow? After school?" Adam looked at Eric again, biting his lower lip, looking like a hopeful puppy. Damn it was so cute.

"Sure, I'd like that." Eric agreed, and became breathless when Adam cracked a genuine, full smile, making him look like a freaking male model with the charms of 'the boy next door'.

"Ok…tomorrow then…Umm, here, gimme your phone a sec." Adam held his hand out for Eric to place his phone in. He then proceeded to put his phone number into Eric's contacts, briefly considering whether he should put his name as "Adam, Whale Dick, Groff" but decided against it.

"There. In case you ever need carrying home again," Adam handed back the phone to a dumbstruck Eric, their hands brushing and lingering for far longer than necessary. Their eyes connecting, warmth pouring out.

"Thank you…See you tomorrow, I guess?" Eric didn't want the moment to end, but knew it had to. He finally let their hands fall away from one another. Immediately missing the soft contact.

"Yeah…see you then." Adam seemed reluctant to turn away and go to his own home also. For completely different reasons that usual anyway.

They spared one last lingering look at each-other as they walked away to their respective houses waving a little as they went, the promise of tomorrow keeping them bolstered.

Eric finally unlocked the front door, and went inside, being careful not to wake the rest of the house. Eric's father came from the siting room asking him where he had been and what happened to his face.

Eric just looked dreamily at him and said, "I'm ok Dad. I had a bit of a bad night, but it actually ended really amazingly. I'm gonna go to bed now, goodnight Dad."

With that Eric left his dad seriously confused and went up the stairs to bed; Adam's lingering kiss on his lips, and that heart-flutteringly boyish smile in his head.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my second ever fic for Eric and Adam.
> 
> Finally had them kiss! 
> 
> *Happy sigh* These boys give me life! 
> 
> More fics to follow based in season 2
> 
> Hope you enjoyed reading!
> 
> Constructive criticism and comments always welcome! Xx


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